Adjusting and securing means for air-pump rotors



Oct. 30, 1928. 1,689,726

-I. c. JENNINGS v ADJUSTING AND SECURING MEANS FOR AIR PUMP ROTORS Filed May 1926 1N VEN Tp/e Patented Oct. 30,1928.

-, UNITED STATES IRVING C. JENNINGS, OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

PATENT OFFICE.

Application filed May 3,

This invention, while capable of general application, isparticularly adapted for securing the rotor of a hydro-turbine air pump to its supporting shaft. Such air pumps are frequently used for priming centrifugal sucjusted axially to provide the necessary clearance at both sides of the rotor and mustalso be firmly secured to its driving shaft.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved construction by which an air pump rotor or other similar rotatable member may be accurately adjusted axially on its supporting shaft and may be securely retained in adjusted position.

My invention further relates to arrangenaents and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Several forms of my invention 'areshown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an air pump embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional elevation, showing a slight modification;

Fig. 3 shows a special form of. washer which may be used with my invention; and

ig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a further modification.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a' portion of an air pump of the hydro-turbine type, comprising acasing member forming one side of an air pump chamber 11, and a cover member 12 forming the periphery and the outer side, wall of the chamber '11. The casing members 10 and 12 are rigidly supported upon a frame 13, commonly forming a part of a centrifugal pump casing.

The pump impeller shaft 15 extends through a stufiing box16 and through the air pump casing member 10,- and is provided with a flange or shoulder 17, loosely rotatable in an opening 18 in the inner side wall of the air pump chamber 11. The flange or shoulder 17 is so positioned that its outer face will be back of the plane of the inner face of the air pump or rotor chamber.

The rotor 20 is. slidable on the outer end portion 21 of the shaft 15 and may be secured thereon by a binding. screw 22, having 1926. Serial No. 106,297.

an enlarged head projecting over the hub 23 of the rotor 20. The end portion 21 of the shaft does not project quite to the outer end of the hub 23.

The method'of adjusting the rotor upon the shaft 15 is as follows:

The casing 10 is first secured to the frame 13, as byclamp screws 24, and careful measurement is then made with a depth gauge, or in any other convenient manner, to accurately-determine the distance from the outer face of the flange 17 to the inner face of the rotor chamber. I

An allowance is then made to give theclesired clearance of the rotor in the rotor chamber, and, a spacing member 25 of the determined thickness is then slipped onto the end portion 21 of the shaft and against the flange 17. This spacing member may be conveniently formed by assembling the required number of very thin discs or washers to build up the desired thickness.

The rotor 20 is then placed on the portion 21. of the shaft and is clamped against the spacing member 25' by the binding screw 22. The rotor is thus held firmly upon the end of the shaft and is accurately spaced between the walls of the chamber 11, this accurate spacing being attained without requiring accurate machine work to accomplish the result.

Instead of forming the spacing member 25 from a plurality of thin discs or washers, I may use a single washer such as is shown at 27 in Fig. 3, this washer being made up of spirally arranged layers of very thin material, with the separate layers soldered or otherwise secured together. One or more layers may be peeled off to reduce the washer to the desired thickness.

Qbviously, a unitary washer 28 (Fig. 2) may be reduced to the desired thickness by grinding or in any other convenient manner, or a washer 28 of the desired thickness may be selected from a stock of washers of different thicknesses.

In Fig. 2, I have indicated the use of a washer 28 of unitary structure in a slightly modified construction in which the pump shaft 30 is provided with a threaded exten sion 31 on which a binding nut 32 is mounted to engage the hub 23 of the rotor 20,"as in the form previously described. f

In Fig. 4, I have a construction in which a recess is formed in the hub 41 of the rotor 42. The shoulder 43 of the shaft 44 may be substantially in the plane of the inside of the casing 45 and a spacing washer 46 is provided, of such thickness as will provide the desired clearance for therotor in the casing 45. The rotor is held in position by a binding screw 47 as previously described. This construction embodies many of the advan tages of the forms previously described.

It will be understood that any one of the three forms of washers shown and described may be used with the construction shown in either Fig. 1, Fig.2 or Fig. 4.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be positioned back of the plane of the inner face,

of said casing, an impeller having a hub slidable axially on said shaft, and a rotatable body portion extending between the walls of said casing, a spacing member of selected thickness interposed between said shaft shoulder and the adjacent end of said hub,

an'accurate spaced position with respect to and means to press said hub against'said spacing member-and shoulder, thereby securing said rotatable portion of the impeller in said walls.

2. In a pump, in combinationfa casing having outer and inner walls, and an axial opening through said inner wall, a shaft having a shoulder rotatable in said opening but slidable axially on said shaft and a rotatable body portion extending between the walls of said casing, a spacing member of selected thickness interposed between said shaft I shoulder and the adjacent end of said hub,- the outer end of said shaft terminating within said hub and back of the outer end surface of said hub when the impelleris in axially adjusted position with respect to the walls of the casing, and threaded means engaging the end of said hub to press said impeller axially alon said shaft.

- 3. In a pump, in combination, a casing having outer and inner walls with an axial opening through said inner walls, a shaft having a shoulder rotatable. in said opening but positioned back of the plane of the inner faceoof said casing, an impeller having a hub slidable on said shaft, and a rotatable body portion extending between the walls of the casing, a variable pluralityf very thin washers interposed between said shaft shoulder and the adjacent end of said hub, and means to press said hub firmly against said washers and shoulder thereby accurately positioning the rotatable body portion axially in-said casing and securing said hub to said shaft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. v

' IRVING 0. JENNINGS. Y 

